It was a most painful and emotional shabbos for the Shalit family, marking their son Gilad’s fourth year in Hamas captivity, having been taken hostage in a June 25, 2006 cross-border terror attack in Kerem Shalom.
Mr. Noam Shalit openly admits it is difficult to exhibit optimism in light of the failure of two administrations to return his son home, who is being held a few kilometers from Israel.
On Sunday, 1,000 people are expected to take part in the march from the family home in Givat Hila to Jerusalem, where Noam and his wife Aviva plan to remain in their protest tent oppose the official Prime Minister’s Residence until Gilad returns home.
Organizers expect over 5,000 people to join the march as it makes its way to Yerushalayim. The march, about 250 kilometers (150 miles) is expected to take about 12 days. The Shalits call on anyone “who cares” to please take part in the march, for as long as one can.
The march will get underway on Sunday at 8:30am and it will take participants onto major roadways and the center of municipalities. The entire event is in coordination with police. Marchers will set out daily at 7:30am and continue until the hot afternoon hours. They will take a break and resume later in the day.
During the afternoon breaks, an activity on behalf of increasing awareness regarding Gilad’s plight will take place and the family hopes to arrive in Yerushalayim on July 8th.
Participants are requested to bring water, sun hats, whistles, sun block cream, and food.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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One Response
I’m sure it’s a great chizuk for the family to know that we are davening for Gilad ben Aviva. Have him in mind, at least one of the several times a day we say the words “matir assurim”, or say a perek of Tehillim a day. One has no idea what kind of an effect that can have.